Permission to reprint the abstract has not been received from the publisher.

This article addresses the most prevalent and important form of violence in American families: spanking a child who misbehaves. Very few social scientists or pediatricians think spanking plays a major negative role in a child’s development. Some favor spanking. The majority, although they do not explicitly favor spanking, believe it is sometimes necessary.’ There is a small minority who genuinely oppose spanking in the sense that they believe a child should never, ever, under any circumstances, be spanked. Thus, the beliefs expressed by the majority of psychologists and pediatricians reflect a practical and philosophical inconsistency about spanking. This inconsistency is comparable to opposing the idea of a husband slapping his wife, but believing that it may be necessary in some situations.

Bibliography Citation

Straus, Murray A. "Corporal Punishment by Parents: The Cradle of Violence in the Family and Society." Virginia Journal of Social Policy and the Law 8,1 (Fall 2000): 7-60.